Tomorrow's Tewaaraton Winners, Pros Take Stage at All-America Senior Games

Nineteen years ago, Corrigan Sports Enterprises developed lacrosse’s version of the McDonald’s All-American Game — a platform to showcase the best high school players in the country as the college and professional stars of the future.

Another class of the top high school seniors from around the country will put their talents together Saturday at the All-America Lacrosse Senior Games.

Corrigan Sports Enterprises and Inside Lacrosse have partnered to bring the best of the Class of 2024 to historic Homewood Field at Johns Hopkins. Ninety-one college-bound standouts (45 girls and 46 boys) were selected to play in the games (5:30 p.m. and 8 p.m. Eastern, respectively) with both televised nationally on ESPNU.

“It is a great game to run around and have the freedom of moving and the ability to be creative with your stick,” said Andy Bilello, vice president of events at Corrigan Sports Enterprises. “I always enjoy the fact that athletes can express themselves in this game. And we've tried to put on a little bit of a show to emphasize that fun element of lacrosse.”

The All-America Lacrosse event has expanded to include a weekend-long tournament for underclassmen that starts Friday in the Baltimore area and will culminate Sunday with another pair of nationally televised (ESPN3) championship games from the Highlight division for rising high school seniors.

Players come from the East, West, North and South for the weekend. The All-America Lacrosse Senior Game selections were announced in waves through the spring. The final rosters will be divided into North and South teams for the games.

Bilello, a 10-year Corrigan Sports Enterprises employee who focuses on the logistics of the event, sees the senior games as something a little different than usual in part because it’s the capstone of their high school careers.

“It is a celebration of the sport,” he said. “There's so much emphasis, and rightfully so, on championship competition, whether it's at the high school level where kids are trying to gain exposure for college recruiting and win championships. And then there’s a huge emphasis with college and the pros. This is about fun. People forget sometimes why they started playing lacrosse.”

The senior game has featured the last 14 Tewaaraton Award winners on the women’s side and 10 of the last 14 men’s winners. Many more have gone on to play professionally in Athletes Unlimited and the Premier Lacrosse League.

“Every year you know from that group there are going to be the stars that you're going to watch over the next three to four years or more,” Bilello said. “I look back now and some of the rookie class of the PLL — people like Connor Schellenberger, I remember when he was in this game.

“The players that are competing for awards and first team All-America honors in college, they play in this game. I don't always know who they all are going into this event, but I end up coming out of it recognizing that kid I'm going to be interested in watching the next few years to see where they go.”

It’s also more than an all-star game. Event organizers keep participants busy through the weekend with a variety of get-togethers, including a banquet, keynote speakers and lectures. They are treated to special gear, with New Balance coming on as a sponsor of the event this year.

Each aspect of the weekend creates an opportunity, Bilello said.

“The games are one part of it,” he said. “But where we really take it to another level is the off-the-field experience. There’s a balance between this is awesome celebration of what you've achieved, but also you’re becoming an adult now. You’re all going to be on a college campus, many within a few weeks, and you're going to be independent and have to navigate that. And this weekend is a little run-through for that.”

Corrigan Sports Enterprises will have Evan Washburn of CBS Sports and Sheehan Stanwick of ESPN as keynote speakers who will talk about their experiences going from former lacrosse players to working in the media. Julie Myers, CEO of the One Love Foundation, is also set to address participants with some pointers as they head to college. The players also will hear from a sports nutritionist.

“The majority of them will remember one or two key ideas that will last with them,” Bilello said. “At least through this transition stage as they become college freshmen this first semester in the fall.”

They will also take with them the memories of one final high school game sharing the field with current and future teammates and foes.

“Corrigan Sports and everyone who has been an event partner this year has worked a long time to make sure that it’s truly an experience,” Bilello said. “It’s not just another game. The game's fun and we want it to be part of a weekend experience. We want these kids to feel when they leave with their families on Sunday and before they go to college that it wasn’t just another tournament.”